knowing vs. knowledge

"...a person might memorize scripture or teach Sunday school somewhere to earn a degree in theology from the local seminary or divinity faculty, but that is not necessarily the same thing as growing in the knowledge of God and gaining insight into his ways."

Very well put. This I feel, is my life on many levels.

I am so prone to feel like if I just study the Word or pray or talk about spiritual things that I am "meeting with God". I know my relationship with the Lord can't be based on emotions and I want to have depth. Especially being in ministry, knowing that studying the Word is my job, that prayer in part of my career, that meeting with and counseling and encouraging students toward Christ is an expectation can subtly slip into a timed, quick, gain of information without truly seeking God and desiring to meet with him.

We gave our students a breakdown of the book of Philippians to study for the summer. Down at our Summer Beach Project (now called the Summer Training Project) and with the students we're taking to India with us this summer, we emphasize studying the Word. We've also given them a book called "Basics for Believers" by D.A. Carson and its his research and interpretation of the book. It's been helpful for me too as I study and go through the same verses as the students.

And I am just like many of the students who go to the Christian universities Andrew and I get to minister to. I fall into rule-keeping legalism easily. Many of these students do also. It's all they've known. But what a fine line of really knowing God vs. having knowledge of Him. I've met many students who can say the gospel, they can quote verses, they can tell you historical background and Bible stories. They've gone on mission trips, grown up in church and even shared their faith. Their families are church-going and they might have a missionary in their family or a pastor. But, they dance around what their lives look like. They avoid going deep about spiritual things and fear admitting confusion about Christianity. All they've known is rule-keeping.

Just as I need this line from Carson to remind my heart to seek Christ and not Christian things, it is the greatest need of many of these students.